PNP: Stray bullet, indiscriminate firing incidents down
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police (PNP) recorded 16 stray bullet incidents as 2014 drew to a close.
In a statement, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said that of the incidents eight happened in Metro Manila, four in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) region, two in the Western Visayas, and one of each in Central Luzon and the Central Visayas.
Mayor did not say if any of stray bullet victims died.
Meanwhile, 10 persons have been arrested for firing their guns indiscriminately, Mayor said.
On Monday, PNP deputy spokesperson Senior Superintendent Robert Po said that a downtrend on the number of cases of indiscriminate firing and stray bullets declined in 2014.
“If you look at the trend, it seems that the figures are down by 15 to 20 percent this year (2014) for illegal discharge of firearms, although we have to wait for the figures during the actual festivities,” he said.
He pointed out that nine incidents of indiscriminate firing had been reported from December 16 up to December 29, 2014. At total of 30 cases were recorded in 2013.
As of 8:46 a.m. of January 1, the number of incidents of illegal discharge of firearms had risen to 15.
The downtrend, according to Po, may be attributed to the government’s intensified campaign against illegal discharge of firearms and illegal firecrackers.
He said violators could easily be identified and charged because of the PNP’s database of all licensed firearms and the Crime Laboratory’s integrated ballistics identification system.
Meanwhile, injuries due to firecrackers rose to 35 from December 16.
In the latest count, 49 persons have been arrested for possessing, using and selling banned firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
